Elsevier

Food Research International

Volume 106, April 2018, Pages 317-334
Food Research International

Review
Multi-functional application of Moringa oleifera Lam. in nutrition and animal food products: A review

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2017.12.079Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Studies report rich nutritional and phytochemical content in the M. oleifera plant

  • Various plant parts in various forms are consumed by humans and livestock.

  • More research on toxicity, clinical studies and consumer studies are needed.

  • Dietary inclusion of ≤ 5% M. oleifera improves livestock performance and products.

  • More research on bioavailability and mode of action of bioactive compounds is needed.

Abstract

Research on the use of various parts of the Moringa oleifera Lam. plant (M. oleifera) as a nutritional and neutraceutical resource for human and animal diets has increased in recent years, emanating from the widespread use of the plant in traditional cuisines and medicinal remedies in several regions of the world. Analytical studies have identified M. oleifera as an important source of essential nutrients; rich in protein, essential amino acids, minerals, and vitamins, with a relatively low amount of antinutrients. It is also a rich source of other bio active compounds including flavonoids and phenolic compounds; with several studies detailing demonstrated in vitro and in vivo functional properties, most substantially, antioxidant activities. Moringa oleifera consumption has been reported to improve the health status, feed conversion efficiency, growth performance and product quality of several livestock species, at dietary inclusion rates generally not exceeding 5% of total dry matter intake. Fortification of processed foods with M. oleifera has been reported to increase nutritional value, some organoleptic properties, oxidative stability and product shelf life; with a notable need for further analytical and consumer studies in the development of these products. There is a paucity of literature detailing clinical studies, nutrient bioavailability, toxicity and the mode of action of the bioactive compounds to which the health claims associated with M. oleifera consumption are attributed. Many of these are not yet fully understood; therefore more research in these areas is required in order to fully utilize the potential benefits of this plant in human and livestock nutrition.

Introduction

In many countries in tropical and sub-tropical regions, Moringa oleifera (M. oleifera) is used as a rich source of food and food products due to its considerable inherent nutritional, antioxidant and phytochemical benefits; as well as its ability to survive in diverse climatic conditions. Generally, the plant is known to be a fast growing and multi-functional plant with varying applications in agriculture, medicine, livestock, human and other biological systems (Fig. 1) (Ndubuaku, Uchenna, Baiyeri, & Ukonze, 2015). The plant has been used to improve nutrition and boost food security in some developing countries (Fahey, 2005, Fuglie, 1999, Saini et al., 2014). Interestingly, every part of the M. oleifera plant, including the leaf, root, bark, seed, flower and pod is edible and contains compounds that are important for human and livestock wellness (Kadhim & AL-Shammaa, 2014). Consumption of this plant has been reported to contribute significantly to the intake of some essential nutrients and health-promoting phytochemicals in humans (Bamishaiye, Olayemi, Awagu, & Bamshaiye, 2011). With regards to its nutritional composition, M. oleifera leaves have been reported to have higher proportion of vitamins C and A, calcium, potassium, iron and proteins than those found in other food products such as orange, carrots, milk, bananas, yoghurt and spinach, respectively (Gopalakrishnan et al., 2016, Rockwood et al., 2013). On a nutritional basis, the leaves of M. oleifera have been extensively used to combat malnutrition among infants, pregnant women and nursing mothers as well as increase milk production in lactating mothers (Fahey, 2005, Fuglie, 1999, Saini et al., 2014). Dietary supplementation with M. oleifera leaves has been observed to protect humans against iron deficiency and oxidative stress (Saini et al., 2014). The inclusion of M. oleifera leaves as a fortificant in food products such as bread, biscuits, cereal porridge, cake, yoghurts and cheese has been reported to improve their sensory properties and shelf life with the consequent boosting of consumer endogenous antioxidant ability to scavenge free radicals and reduce health related diseases (Oyeyinka & Oyeyinka, 2016). Furthermore, the application of M. oleifera in livestock feed as a source of protein, antibiotic and antioxidant compounds has been reported in literature with impressive success; including demonstrated to improve growth performance, milk let down (the release of milk from the alveoli in the animal udder) and quality, meat oxidative stability and organoleptic quality as well as reducing the rate of microbial growth in meat products after processing and cold storage (Adeniji and Lawal, 2012, Mendieta-Araica et al., 2011, Moyo et al., 2012, Mukumbo et al., 2014, Nkukwana et al., 2014, Nkukwana et al., 2014). The seeds of M. oleifera have also been used as an effective coagulant and antimicrobial agent to remove hardness, undesirable chemicals and biological contaminants in water (Saini, Sivanesan, & Keum, 2016). The bark of the plant is known to produce fibre which is a suitable raw material for the production of high alpha cellulose pulp for use in cellophane and textiles (Duke, 2001). Based on the aforementioned qualities, M. oleifera has attracted the interest of several researchers on the utilization of this plant for the purpose of improving the efficiency of food production systems, nutrition and human health. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to highlight the potential of M. oleifera Lam. as source of antioxidants and phytochemicals for human diets, the livestock production and processing industry, and their probable impact as novel ingredients in food systems.

Section snippets

Description and composition of Moringa oleifera

Moringa oleifera is the most widely cultivated tree species in the family Moringaceae (Bellostas et al., 2010). Taxonomically, M. oleifera is assigned to the family Moringaceae of sole genus Moringa (Table 1). The genus “Moringa” is estimated to include 13 species of which 11 of them originated from Africa (M. drouhardii, M. stenopetala, M. hildebrandtii, M. ovalifolia, M peregrine, M. rivae, M. ruspoliana, M. arborea, M. borziana, M. pygmaea and M. longituba) and Arabia and 2 from India (M.

Moringa oleifera Lam. as a source of phytochemicals, natural antioxidants and as a neutraceutical

The M. oleifera plant has important functional properties. It contains a huge array of bio-active compounds which are commonly referred to as secondary metabolites or phytochemicals. On estimate, more than 200 compounds have been identified from M. oleifera (leaf, stem, root and seed) which can be classified into groups such as hydrocarbon, ketones, fatty acids, alcohols, aldehydes, terpenes and others (Table 3, Table 4, Table 5, Table 6, Table 7). These compounds have been identified using

Livestock health and growth performance

Like some recently investigated plants such as Vachellia karroo (Idamokoro, Masika, & Muchenje, 2016) and Cactus plant (Ben Salem & Smith, 2008), M. oleifera is rich in nutrients and bioactive compounds which offer great potential for its use as a livestock feed resource. The leaf, seed and bark of M. oleifera are readily eaten by cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens and rabbits as an ingredient in the diet. The plant has been used to improve the health status, growth performance, milk

Conclusion and future perceptive

Current and ongoing research has revealed that M. oleifera Lam. is an important plant that has multifunctional applications in human nutrition, livestock production systems and products. Studies have detailed the rich profile of essential nutrients and bioactive compounds in M. oleifera leaves, seeds and stems; alluding to the potential that the addition of M. oleifera in diets and food products has to improve nutritional status and wellbeing of consumers, especially pregnant and nursing

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the Govan Mbeki Research Development Centre (GMRDC, Project ID: C262), University of Fort Hare, and the Department of Science and Technology/National Research Foundation (Project ID: T359) for financial assistance.

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